As a former BBC Folk Award winner and three albums deep into her career, Oxford-based singer and songwriter Megan Henwood has proven herself to be no lightweight on the scene, and now returns with her beautiful new single 'Hello/Goodbye'.
Using little more than an acoustic guitar and her own spectacular voice, 'Hello/Goodbye' makes for a wonderfully captivating return for the artist. Capturing a warm and spiritual atmosphere that oozes with textured aesthetics, this new delight is just what we need to help us through this winter lockdown.
So with the new single available now, we sat down with her to find out more about her origins and what has been inspiring her over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I had a rocky, laborious relationship with the piano from a young age but I fell in love with the guitar when I started playing at 13 and then when I got 'CoCo' (my custom Fylde guitar which I'm very lucky to have) in 2010 I was head over heels and we've been going steady ever since.
What was the first song that inspired you to make your own music?
'Ain't No Sunshine' by Bill Withers.
What kind of music did you love as a teenager?
Clean boys singing on stools and standing up for key changes. Then later teenage years was almost exclusively Elliott Smith.
What do you find is the best environment to find inspiration for your music?
Somewhere I've never been to before that is calm with no distractions or somewhere near a stormy sea.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Phoebe Bridgers, Blick Bassy, Nubiyan Twist, old Joni Mitchell and new Laura Marling.
How many of your songs have you written about people in your life?
Probably 68%. Although most older material the people I wrote about are no longer in my life!
What has been the most unusual moment in your career so far?
Terry Wogan offering me a jam doughnut.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Well it would have been Bill Withers or Elliott Smith. So probably Stevie Wonder as I would love to meet him but also think all the band would have some great stories and I could learn a lot from them!
If you weren’t a musician, what other path do you think you might have taken?
Probably a writer of some sort or maybe a beekeeper.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Music and the music business are two very different things.
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Megan Henwood's new single 'Hello/Goodbye' is available to stream and download now. Watch the new video for it in the player below.